Development of Organisation Culture - Essay Example

Culture Introduction The identity of every organisation is particularly important in influencing the s to recognise a particular brand. Arguably, the second most important stakeholder of a company is its employees. The behaviours and activities that affect the employees directly influence to the performance of the company in the market. In any setting where people (two or more) people actively interact with an aim of achieving particular goal(s), a culture is bred that defines their behaviour and direct the actions they need to consistently show. Every organisation has its own cultures that distinctly identify it from others. Organisational culture is defined as those shared behaviour patterns that individuals demonstrate consistently within a firm as they undertake their respective roles (Mullins 2011: 88). For example, holding weekly staff meeting can be a culture that distinguishes organisation A from organisation B. Values, norms as well as traditions are also shared in companies that have identifiable cultures. It is worth noting that the strength or intensity of the culture may vary from one organisation to another. This paper will seek to address comprehensively the concept of organisational culture and determine some of the advantages strong organisational cultures bring to companies. The essay begins by tracing the development of organisational culture before embarking on evaluating the many benefits of strong cultures within the firm. Development of Organisation Culture A question that may perplex someone is how the culture is set and absorbed by members within the organisation. As a matter of fact, the deepest root off organisational culture is extended to the founders. It is the company’s vision and mission as well as the core values that they pioneer the organisation with that forms the foundation of the firm’s culture. Initially the founders identify some of the values that should be fundamental to the operations of the organisation they form. They then hire and recruit person (managers) who share the same values and perceptions with them. In cases where the founders do not find exactly people who do not have the same perception, they may convince and assimilate them into accepting their culture. Through their actions and the behaviour they exhibit, the pioneers indoctrinate the worker to accept their values and perceptions. For example, if the organisation is founded on strong Christian principles, the behaviours and expressions of the founders that portray Christian values will be transferred to and absorbed by the workers (Robbins & Judge 2013: 141). To ensure that these cultures are kept alive and transferred to the next generation of organisation members, the hiring, selection and recruitment process is carried out with a lot of consciousness. Most organisations have their recruitment programs set in a way that they are consistent with the values and beliefs the company holds. For example, employees may be assessed critically on some of the values such as integrity, spirituality, punctuality among others. Also, during selection, employees may be taken through an orientation that provides information about what values the company holds dearly. In the course of the operations, the top management may sometimes introduce some of the behaviour patterns expected from the employees. Dubrin (2012: 101) highlights that it is the continuous interaction among the individuals within the organisation that help them to integrate well into the culture. The process of socialisation is significant in making the employees adapt to the changes they find in new organisations. This way, an organisational culture (values, beliefs, norms, traditions and behaviours) are kept alive over the years within the company giving it the unique identity. Advantages and Disadvantages of Strong Organisational Culture Having looked at how cultures are formed and retained, it is crucial that its pros and cons be evaluated as well. The first benefit organisational culture brings is the sense of identity and integration. A company that is bound together its strong cultural identity is likely to achieve high group performance compared to another that has is loosely tied cultural. Strong cultures mean similar behaviour patterns. It is, therefore, easy to manage and lead such a group since the decisions made are collectively implemented. It also focuses on collective work rather that individual and this makes it easy to achieve the organisational goals (Schein, 2010: 110). Strong organisational culture, according to Flamholtz and Randle (2011:100), is a tool used by managers to bring together diverse employees and members so they may work together with a single identity to attain the company’s objectives. For example, a competitive advantage is more enhanced when an organisation has employees who are bound by common culture. The members become more active and motivated thereby producing high outcomes. The fact that it minimises diversity that could exist amongst workers makes those who would have other felt inferior to belong. There are diverse disadvantages that come with strong organisational culture. Strong cultures virtually thwart diversity. Different members with different ideas, values, skills and beliefs may not find an environment to showcase what they have or express their opinion. They are compelled to adhere to the set principles and values that could deter their talents. Similarly, it is very hard to introduce a change within an organisation that is culturally strong. Strong cultures make the organisation to be rigid to change as members are used to the ‘normal’ way of doing things (Flamholtz & Randle 2011: 99). Any slight change may be highly resisted. It is also not easy to amalgamate companies that have strong cultures. A culture that is introduced with the merging company may not suit the other organisation leading to conflicts (Knights & Willmott 2007: 127). Conclusion The behaviours of members within a given organisation can be communalised by socialising them into sharing common ideas, beliefs and perceptions. Organisations set their culture initially through their founders. The process of socialisation and selective recruitment further ensures the desirable cultures are retained. As seen, strong cultures in organisations help those firms to achieve unique identities. Cultures also bring a sense of oneness hence making performances to escalate. However, such strong cultures may be a problem when an organisation considers making some changes. It becomes hard to dissocialise members from the behaviours they have habituated. Diversity is also diminished by strong cultures. References Dubrin, A.J. (2012) Essentials of management, Mason, Ohio, South-Western/Thomson Learning. Flamholtz, E. & Randle, Y. (2011) Corporate culture the ultimate strategic asset, Palo Alto, Stanford University Press. Knights, D. & Willmott, H. (2007) Introducing organisational behaviour and management, London, Thomson Learning. Mullins, L. (2011) Essentials of organisational behaviour, Harlow, England, Financial Times Prentice Hall/Pearson. Robbins, S. & Judge, T. (2013) Essentials of organisational behaviour, Pearson. Schein, E.H. (2010) Organisational culture and leadership, New York, NY, John Wiley & Sons. Read More